Techniques Flashcards
Acceptance and Evaluation Criteria
Acceptance criteria are used to define the requirements, outcomes, or conditions
that must be met in order for a solution to be considered acceptable to key
stakeholders. Evaluation criteria are the measures used to assess a set of
requirements in order to choose between multiple solutions
Backlog Management
The backlog is used to record, track, and prioritize remaining work items
Balanced Scorecard
The balanced scorecard is used to manage performance in any business model,
organizational structure, or business process
Benchmarking and Market Analysis
Benchmarking and market analysis are conducted to improve organizational
operations, increase customer satisfaction, and increase value to stakeholders
Brainstorming
Brainstorming is an excellent way to foster creative thinking about a problem. The
aim of brainstorming is to produce numerous new ideas, and to derive from them
themes for further analysis
Business Capability Analysis
Business capability analysis provides a framework for scoping and planning by
generating a shared understanding of outcomes, identifying alignment with
strategy, and providing a scope and prioritization filter
Business Cases
A business case provides a justification for a course of action based on the
benefits to be realized by using the proposed solution, as compared to the cost,
effort, and other considerations to acquire and live with that solution
Business Model Canvas
A business model canvas describes how an enterprise creates, delivers, and
captures value for and from its customers
Business Rules Analysis
Business rules analysis is used to identify, express, validate, refine, and organize
the rules that shape day-to-day business behaviour and guide operational
business decision making
Collaborative Games
Collaborative games encourage participants in an elicitation activity to collaborate
in building a joint understanding of a problem or a solution
Concept Modelling
A concept model is used to organize the business vocabulary needed to
consistently and thoroughly communicate the knowledge of a domain
Data Dictionary
A data dictionary is used to standardize a definition of a data element and enable
a common interpretation of data elements
Data Flow Diagrams
Data flow diagrams show where data comes from, which activities process the
data, and if the output results are stored or utilized by another activity or external
entity.
Data Mining
Data mining is used to improve decision making by finding useful patterns and
insights from data
Data Modelling
A data model describes the entities, classes or data objects relevant to a domain,
the attributes that are used to describe them, and the relationships among them
to provide a common set of semantics for analysis and implementation
Decision Analysis
Decision analysis formally assesses a problem and possible decisions in order to
determine the value of alternate outcomes under conditions of uncertainty
Decision Modelling
Decision modelling shows how repeatable business decisions are made
Document Analysis
Document analysis is used to elicit business analysis information, including
contextual understanding and requirements, by examining available materials
that describe either the business environment or existing organizational assets
Estimation
Estimation is used by business analysts and other stakeholders to forecast the cost
and effort involved in pursuing a course of action
Financial Analysis
Financial analysis is used to understand the financial aspects of an investment, a
solution, or a solution approach
Focus Groups
A focus group is a means to elicit ideas and opinions about a specific product,
service, or opportunity in an interactive group environment. The participants,
guided by a moderator, share their impressions, preferences, and needs
Functional Decomposition
Functional decomposition helps manage complexity and reduce uncertainty by
breaking down processes, systems, functional areas, or deliverables into their
simpler constituent parts and allowing each part to be analyzed independently
Glossary
A glossary defines key terms relevant to a business domain
Interface Analysis
Interface analysis is used to identify where, what, why, when, how, and for whom
information is exchanged between solution components or across solution
boundaries
Interviews
An interview is a systematic approach designed to elicit business analysis
information from a person or group of people by talking to the interviewee(s),
asking relevant questions, and documenting the responses. The interview can
also be used for establishing relationships and building trust between business
analysts and stakeholders in order to increase stakeholder involvement or build
support for a proposed solution
Item Tracking
Item tracking is used to capture and assign responsibility for issues and
stakeholder concerns that pose an impact to the solution
Lessons Learned
The purpose of the lessons learned process is to compile and document
successes, opportunities for improvement, failures, and recommendations for
improving the performance of future projects or project phases
Metrics and Key Performance Indicators
Metrics and key performance indicators measure the performance of solutions,
solution components, and other matters of interest to stakeholders
Mind Mapping
Mind mapping is used to articulate and capture thoughts, ideas, and information
Non-Functional Requirements Analysis
Non-functional requirements analysis examines the requirements for a solution
that define how well the functional requirements must perform. It specifies
criteria that can be used to judge the operation of a system rather than specific
behaviours (which are referred to as the functional requirements).
Observation
Observation is used to elicit information by viewing and understanding activities
and their context. It is used as a basis for identifying needs and opportunities,
understanding a business process, setting performance standards, evaluating
solution performance, or supporting training and development
Organizational Modelling
Organizational modelling is used to describe the roles, responsibilities, and
reporting structures that exist within an organization and to align those structures
with the organization’s goals
Prioritization
Prioritization provides a framework for business analysts to facilitate stakeholder
decisions and to understand the relative importance of business analysis
information
Process Analysis
Process analysis assesses a process for its efficiency and effectiveness, as well as its
ability to identify opportunities for change
Process Modelling
Process modelling is a standardized graphical model used to show how work is
carried out and is a foundation for process analysis
Prototyping
Prototyping is used to elicit and validate stakeholder needs through an iterative
process that creates a model or design of requirements. It is also used to optimize
user experience, to evaluate design options, and as a basis for development of the
final business solution
Reviews
Reviews are used to evaluate the content of a work product
Risk Analysis and Management
Risk analysis and management identifies areas of uncertainty that could
negatively affect value, analyzes and evaluates those uncertainties, and develops
and manages ways of dealing with the risks
Roles and Permissions Matrix
A roles and permissions matrix is used to ensure coverage of activities by denoting
responsibility, to identify roles, to discover missing roles, and to communicate
results of a planned change
Root Cause Analysis
Root cause analysis is used to identify and evaluate the underlying causes of a
problem
Scope Modelling
Scope models define the nature of one or more limits or boundaries and place
elements inside or outside those boundaries
Sequence Diagrams
Sequence diagrams are used to model the logic of usage scenarios by showing
the information passed between objects in the system through the execution of
the scenario
Stakeholder List, Map, or Personas
Stakeholder lists, maps, and personas assist the business analyst in analyzing
stakeholders and their characteristics. This analysis is important in ensuring that
the business analyst identifies all possible sources of requirements and that the
stakeholder is fully understood so decisions made regarding stakeholder
engagement, collaboration, and communication are the best choices for the
stakeholder and for the success of the initiative.
State Modelling
State modelling is used to describe and analyze the different possible states of an
entity within a system, how that entity changes from one state to another, and
what can happen to the entity when it is in each state
Survey or Questionnaire
A survey or questionnaire is used to elicit business analysis information—including
information about customers, products, work practices, and attitudes—from a
group of people in a structured way and in a relatively short period of time
SWOT Analysis
SWOT analysis is a simple yet effective tool used to evaluate an organization’s
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to both internal and external
conditions
Use Cases and Scenarios
Use cases and scenarios describe how a person or system interacts with the
solution being modelled to achieve a goal
User Stories
A user story represents a small, concise statement of functionality or quality
needed to deliver value to a specific stakeholder
Vendor Assessment
A vendor assessment assesses the ability of a vendor to meet commitments
regarding the delivery and the consistent provision of a product or service
Workshops
Workshops bring stakeholders together in order to collaborate on achieving a
predefined goal
